Improved Mapping System

pibuz · 6 Feb 2008, 14:55

I really ask for it!!!
Now, as far as i know, only planar UVmapping i supported.

It would be very very useful (tell me if i'm wrong) to have the possibility to choose which kind of UVmapping we prefere, if cubic, or face, or whatever.

This kind of problem comes out when trying to map objects with curved (or simply not smooth) faces: i'm thinking about a curved cylinder, or a pillow..

UVmapping selection would make the difference mostly in interior views, though, and most of all in a rendering phase, so i understand it's a side-request.

Does anyone agrees?

Cheers!

Mike Lucey · 9 Feb 2008, 16:01

Hi pibuz,

I'm not fully sure what your are getting at. Could you possibly provide some graphic examples so we can see exactly what you are talking about.

Mike

jeff hammond · 10 Feb 2008, 01:54

basically, just different ways to lay the texture down..

here's three versions of the same texture.. projected planetary, cylindric, and orthogonal..

jeff hammond · 10 Feb 2008, 02:51

oh yeah..

in contrast, sketchup is pretty much only capable of handling the material one way with this type of shape..

[edit] fwiw, the bowl here and the one above are slightly different shapes..also, the images in the prior post were done in artlantis..

remus · 10 Feb 2008, 07:29

couldnt you do that with projected textures?

jeff hammond · 10 Feb 2008, 17:26

@remus said:

couldnt you do that with projected textures?

hmm.. maybe you can? it's worth a shot though i don't know how much control you'll have.. i wonder if pibuz is still reading this.. maybe he'll try it out and post the results..

if it does work, i can imagine it would be an awkward and longer than necessary workflow.. personally, i don't see the need to implement it in sketchup but if the plan is to eventually have it do full blown renderings, then maybe..

thomthom · 11 Feb 2008, 09:04

I second this suggestion.

Alan Fraser · 14 Feb 2008, 17:47

We definitely need better mapping if SU is to be used for anything other than the simplest architectural forms.
Admittedly, the present mapping is capable of wrapping an image around a cylinder, but it will only do that as long as the cylinder is perfectly cylindrical...not if it is even the slightest bit truncated conic. Even then, you have to use trial and error to get the circumference exactly the same as the length of the image; you can't use any UV controls to effectively say "Wrap this around the cylinder exactly once."

If the object to be mapped is in any way irregular then all mapping goes right out the window. You can't, for instance, wrap this image around a head. Nor is there any way of mapping any kind of even regular object that is curving along more than one axis...a sphere or hemisphere, for example

remus · 14 Feb 2008, 18:17

alan, you might be able to map that texture by projecting it on to the head. would be pretty tricky, but i reckon you could get some ok-ish results.

kwistenbiebel · 14 Feb 2008, 19:03

Pibuz,
I am glad you posted this as I second this.

Su needs more uv mapping options!

Not sure if Google would pick this one up.
I kind of have the feeling that if it is not useful to be used in combo with Google earth...the wishes aren't easily granted.

Alan Fraser · 14 Feb 2008, 19:07

Believe me, if there was a way, I'd have found it by now. You can't project it onto the head...you'd get a face front and back, with nasty stuff in between. Nor can you gradually roll it around the head, sampling and painting as you go; unless the surfaces are entirely vertical (like the cylinder example) the results are totally unpredictable.

I CAN produce SU heads that are decently mapped, but I have to export them out to another program then back in again to do it.

remus · 14 Feb 2008, 19:09

couldnt you just cut out the face area, project the texture and then stick it back onto the head?

probably more work and not as good results as exporting it though